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Catholic Church: Sen. Casey wrong in decision to back gay marriage

Church says Bob Casey's decision is 'contrary to the teaching of the Church.'

By JOHN HILTON Daily Record/Sunday News

Updated:
04/02/2013 10:54:23 PM EDT

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa. (FILE)

York, PA -

Father Joseph Bambora of the Diocese of Scranton called Sen. Bob Casey's change of heart on same-sex marriage a disappointing decision.

In a statement released Monday night, Bambora said the senator "has unfortunately and disappointingly set aside the Catholic belief and teaching that the sacrament of marriage, rooted in the natural law, is a faithful, exclusive, lifelong, loving union of a man and a woman open to the transmission of human life."

The Diocese of Harrisburg declined to comment, referring all queries to Bambora's statement.

Casey, a member of the Diocese of Scranton, said Monday that he had decided over time that the Defense of Marriage Act - the federal law that defines marriage as one man and one woman - should be repealed, and determined that such a belief could not be separate from the overall question of gay marriage.

"I ultimately decided that to make a decision about DOMA was making a decision about marriage equality itself," Casey said. He gave interviews to The Morning Call and the Philadelphia Gay News.

Casey, D-Pa., said he will sign on as a cosponsor to repeal DOMA when the Senate reintroduces such legislation.

Casey's public switch comes less than a week after the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in two landmark gay marriage cases.

Nationally, the Catholic Church spent at least $1.1 million last year on efforts to oppose gay marriage measures in four states, including Maryland. In comments over the weekend, New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan said the church should be more welcoming to gays.

Bambora called gay and lesbian people "children of God" who "must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity." He added that the church's position "should not be interpreted as an attack on individuals with same sex attractions."

In recent days, half a dozen of Casey's Democratic colleagues reversed their position and became same-sex marriage supporters, but he did not. And in the weeks leading up to the Supreme Court cases, the senator stayed quiet on the issue.

Casey's reversal now leaves just eight of 53 Senate Democrats who say they do not support gay marriage.

Pennsylvania's gay community and its supporters flooded Casey's office with letters and phone calls detailing their personal stories. Those accounts, coupled with the shifting public opinion in support of gay marriage and what he described as the "basic civil rights and fairness" of it, convinced Casey to write a statement in support of gay marriage over the Easter holiday break from Washington.

Away from the Beltway, Casey said he considered the long-standing and fresh arguments made by constituents on both sides. During the process there was a never a time, he said, that he thought his progression was moving in the wrong direction.

In recent days, some constituent letters were wrought with anxiety and frustration, Casey said. He said he understands how difficult it would be to wait years for recognition from your elected official.

In a statement Casey said he personally wrote over several days, the senator asks, "If two people of the same sex fall in love and want to marry, why would our government stand in their way? At a time when many Americans lament a lack of commitment in our society between married men and women, why would we want less commitment and fewer strong marriages?"

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

@jhilton32; 717-771-2024

Marriage history

The federal Defense of Marriage Act was signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1996 amid widespread public support.

At the time, 25 percent of Americans supported same-sex marriage in various polls. Since then, polling data has consistently trended in favor of same-sex marriage. A March Washington Post-ABC News poll showed that 58 percent of Americans support same-sex marriage while 36 percent oppose it.

Maine, Washington and Maryland passed referendums in November allowing same-sex marriage. The outcomes - including Minnesota, which voted down a proposal to ban gay marriage - broke a 32-state streak, dating to 1998, in which gay marriage had been vetoed by voters.

Nine states have voted - either by legislation or referendum - to allow same-sex marriage.

In Pennsylvania, 2012 began with legislators considering a proposed "Marriage Protection" amendment that would have defined marriage as "the legal union of only one man and one woman." The House State Government Committee pulled the amendment from consideration in March.

Ted Martin, the executive director of Equality Pennsylvania, called the November ballot success elsewhere "a watershed moment" that could lead to same-sex marriage in the Keystone State.